Past Grant Recipients

Grants 2018

Canadian Federation of Humane Societies

CFHS received a grant of $2000 to cover costs associated with sending a representative to participate in the National Farm Animal Care Council’s Transportation Codes of Practice Committee to update the Codes from 2001. As the Transport Code Committee work is just getting started in 2018, the funding will cover initial research and meeting work by CFHS selected representatives. Further work will ensue in subsequent years as the Codes are developed (expected to be delivered by 2021).

Lakes Animal Friendship Society

LAFS received a grant of $5071 to develop 3 original humane education materials for rural and First Nations communities. There will be 2 colouring books (“Our Family” and “Happy Cat/Happy Dog”) and 1 activity book (“Caring for Animals, Staying Safe”). These booklets are curriculum relevant and will fill 2 identified gaps:

lack of resources that feature First Nations characters;

lack of easily reproduced, basic materials that cover animal care and compassion in a way that is accessible to lower-literacy individuals.

AWFC funding will allow direct distribution of thousands of materials to Northwest BC students while also providing free access to the digital files with full reproduction rights across Canada for an even broader reach.

National Wildlife Centre

National Wildlife Centre received a grant of $4000 towards the distribution of information and kits for the treatment of emaciated wildlife to rehabilitation facilities. Emaciation can be deadly for injured wildlife. Animals that are sick or injured and do not have food for a long period of time go through metabolic changes that would be deadly to commence feeding right away. Educational kits will be designed to educate those on the signs of emaciation, and how to mitigate and treat it. The development of education kits for rehabbers, students, and veterinarians will help increase animal welfare during rehabilitation and increase the number of successfully released patients. Development and distribution of the kits along with presentations to rehabilitation centers, veterinary clinics, and university students will allow for wide spread knowledge. A secondary goal is for this information to reach the public and prevent feeding of emaciated animals by well-meaning individuals.

Saskatchewan SPCA

Saskatchewan SPCA received a grant of $5000 to develop a voluntary certification program for animal rescue organizations in the province in order to improve standards and conditions for homeless and rescued animals. The project will gather input from various animal protection organizations and the provincial Ministry of Agriculture, a pilot project will be carried out to evaluate the program before it is launched province-wide. Subsequently, a series of 4 regional meetings will be held to promote the program.

Sierra Club Foundation – Atlantic Chapter

Sierra Club received a grant of $8000 to develop the Watch for Wildlife program and materials for the province of New Brunswick. This program was previously funded by AWFC and successfully launched in Nova Scotia in 2016. Watch for Wildlife is a wildlife-vehicle collision prevention program. The main goal of Watch for Wildlife is to raise awareness of the impacts of wildlife-vehicle collisions on people, wildlife, the provincial economy, and tourism, but is especially aimed at reducing wildlife injury, suffering and mortality that results from driving. Most importantly, the program aims to reduce suffering of wildlife left injured on or near the road after being hit by a vehicle by regularly encouraging drivers to stop. Funding covers the costs, in part, of a website, brochures, posters and bumper stickers and magnets, all which provide a phone number to call and information on what to do for injured wildlife.

UBC Animal Welfare Program

In 2018, the UBC Animal Welfare Program is celebrating its 20th anniversary. To recognize this milestone, they will be holding a public event that would bring some of their graduates together to describe the application of science to animal welfare from viewpoints of the individuals’ careers. There will be 4-5 speakers, each dealing with a different topic during a 30-minute presentation plus open discussion, followed by a reception. Speakers will be asked to show innovative science-based solutions to animal welfare challenges in their respective areas. AWFC funding of $2000 will help cover some of the travel costs for speakers to attend and present at the event.

Wolf Awareness

Wolf Awareness received a grant of $4950 to build on their knowledge of livestock depredation prevention (outlined in their Rancher’s Guide: Coexistence Between Livestock, People and Wolves 2nd ed.). Their goal is to bring non-lethal coexistence to Ontario. AWFC funding will help them purchase tools (e.g. trail cameras, fladry, temporary fencing, lights) and deploy them on farms experiencing livestock depredation (Spring 2018). They will then assess the effects on livestock losses and update the Rancher’s Guide with this data (Summer 2018). The guide will be distributed to other farmers, and the Ontario government to help support development of government subsidies for farmers to prevent conflicts (late 2018; coincides with release of provincial eastern wolf Recovery Strategy). Creating change in the farming community requires that livestock producers champion these tools themselves. This project will provide them with various tools and assistance to use and assess them so that they will help encourage the province to develop subsidized coexistence programs to reduce carnivore-livestock conflicts across the province. The program will enable livestock farmers to provide safer environments for their animals and conserve the ecologically and inherently valuable apex predators on the landscape.

Grants 2017

Community Veterinary Outreach – AWFC provided $7930 in funding to Community Veterinary Outreach (CVO) to assess the health and welfare of animal companions belonging to people who are homeless and vulnerably housed in Ontario. In Canada, over 235,000 Canadians experience homelessness in a year. Approximately 20% of these are companion animal owners. To date, there are no published studies on the health and/or welfare of companion animals of those who are homeless and vulnerably housed in Canada. In a time of increasing economic disparity and rising costs of veterinary care, impoverished pet owners struggle to afford even basic veterinary care. In order to effectively support the welfare of animals belonging to those who are impoverished, we need to first understand the state of health of this population of companion animals. The objective of CVO’s research study is to address this gap in the scientific literature by evaluating a selection of health indicators for pets seen for preventive veterinary care by CVO. By contributing to the literature on animal welfare, CVO will aid in establishing an evidence base on which policy and program decision-making can be made. In addition to contributing to the literature, CVO aims to identify targets for intervention to improve animal welfare. For example, if the prevalence of a health outcome, such as poor oral health, is high amongst the study population, CVO (and others) can adjust its program to provide better pet oral health education to its clients. It can also monitor the population for changes in oral health to assess the effectiveness of such interventions.

Ottawa Humane Society – The Ottawa Humane Society (OHS) has delivered its humane education program to students in area schools for more than 20 years. This program brings animal-awareness into classrooms through age-appropriate, curriculum-linked presentations exploring animal welfare topics and responsible pet ownership. Their goal is to be accessible to more teachers and children in their community. AWFC has provided OHS with $4500 in funding towards implementing Online Teacher Activity & Lesson Plans for grades 4, 5 and 6 which can be downloaded from the OHS website and will include lesson plans, and student activity sheets. Teachers will be able to utilize these materials to impart the lessons from the Humane Education presentations in their own classrooms.

Wolf Awareness – The immediate goal of Wolf Awareness (WA) is to decrease the reactionary killing of wolves & coyotes by local residents (often by means of inhumane methods such as poison, neck snares, or hunting dogs – which are prone to be used in bounty situations). AWFC has provided $15,000 in funding to WA to assess the importance of livestock in the diet of wolves and coyotes in areas where small farms and ranches abut upon or are near wilderness areas in northeast Alberta. Specifically, WA will collect and analyze scats at different times of the year, over 2 years, to determine what comprises the main diet of wolves and coyotes. If WA can establish that there is no scientific evidence to support bounty programs and create dialogue and action among various stakeholders that is solution-oriented and promotes co-existence, this model may set a precedent in Canada. The project will also provide education to both the public and producers about non-lethal methods for preventing conflicts and deterring natural predators (i.e. methods of co-existence) through their Rancher’s Guide to Co-Existence Toolkit. This study is vital to properly understand and manage human-wildlife-predator conflicts in areas where farms are interspersed with wilderness areas. The final scientific report may be used as a resource to encourage other provinces to promote responsible wildlife management.

Grants 2016

Canadian Federation of Humane Societies – Ontario
An $8,ooo grant was awarded to CFHS to help them coordinates a national approach to advance farm animal welfare through the development of species specific Codes of Practice for on farm care and handling (Codes). CFHS provides subject experts who sit as CFHS Representatives during negotiations with stakeholders throughout the Code Development Committee process. Existing Codes are out of date and out of step with animal welfare science. CFHS Code Representatives are tasked with ensuring new requirements and recommended best practices bring standards of living measurably closer to the Five Freedoms. In 2016 CFHS will have Representatives for Codes for Layer Hens, Broiler Chickens, Turkeys and Veal Calves. The Broiler/Turkey code will be
be published in mid-2016. The Layer Hens Code will undergo further negotiations in 2016 with the intention to release it for public comment in mid-2016 and, after a final round of negotiations, it may be released by the end of the year. The committee for Codes for Veal Calves convened last year and the codes are expected to be published in 2018.

Canine Action Project – Saskatchewan
A grant of $1000 was given to Canine Action Project for their Moosomin/Saulteaux Intervention and Clinic to help control dog over population in remote, rural and indigenous communities.
Their goal is to improve the health of companion animals and people in these communities using a One Health approach. The five-stage process begins with stakeholder meetings to discuss goals and dog-related issues in an open, transparent and non-judgmental environment. Next, is a door-to-door canine demographic survey, where CAP volunteers gather information on dog vaccination and deworming rates, dog population characteristics, animal husbandry knowledge and interest in working together to solve dog-related problems. Dog owners have an opportunity to discuss dog health/behaviour issues. Community elders share knowledge relating to traditional and cultural norms during Elders’ Teas. CAP volunteers attend school health fairs to promote companion animal welfare. A community-sponsored remote veterinary clinic will take place where dogs are sterilized, dewormed and vaccinated at no or low cost to individual owners. Ongoing facilitation of meetings occurs among community members, community leaders, and education facilitators to discuss by-law integration, evaluate and celebrate program success, and ensure long-term sustainability.

Paws For Hope Foundation – BC
A $1000 grant was awarded to Paws for Hope Foundation to help them host a workshop that brings the animal welfare/rescue community together to identify how they can increase their impact in improving the lives of animals in BC through shared work. The conversation will begin through a facilitated meeting to talk, plan and explore new ideas. The meeting will be highly participatory and is intended to be the first step in creating a new collaborative working environment. They know working together will have its challenges, but they also have tremendous possibility if they are able to find shared work that can connect them, making them more influential as a whole. They will explore ways to work as a network to influence government policy and social norms. This process, its lessons and outcomes will be documented and can be utilized by other provinces who would like to create a more effective, accountable and collaborative animal welfare system.
In addition to the experiences of the meeting participants, the meeting will be informed by the results of surveys administered to the general public and animal welfare community November 2015 – January 2016. Meeting participants will identify key functions and goals of the newly formed “coalition” and a one year timeline and work plan will be drafted with clear outputs and outcomes identified. Communication will be continued throughout the year via online meetings.

Sierra Club, Atlantic Chapter – Nova Scotia
A $5000 grant was awarded to Sierra Club’s Atlantic Chapter to help fund their “Watch for Wildlife” Nova Scotia program – a province-wide, public education program being developed to raise awareness of: how to prevent wildlife-vehicle collisions (WVCs), what to do when a collision occurs, and who to contact when a collision occurs.
There is no public information of this kind provided in Nova Scotia (or neighbouring provinces). Roadkilled’ wildlife statistics are staggering∗ and there is no information communicated to help reduce the numbers. While they have excellent wildlife rescues, too few people know to call them, or which one to call if they do hit an animal.

Wolf Awareness – Alberta
A $1000 grant was awarded to Wolf Awareness to help fund their project to prevent livestock losses (thought to be caused by wolf predation) and maintain ecological diversity. This project aims to assess the importance of livestock in the diet of wolves and coyotes in areas where small farms and ranches abut upon or are near wilderness areas in northeast Alberta. The project will also provide education to both public and producers about non-lethal methods for preventing conflicts and deterring natural predators, (ie. methods of co-existence) as well as the ecological values of wolves. Wolf Awareness will collect and analyze scats at different times of the year, over 2 years, and discuss the current status of livestock losses and husbandry methods with resident farmers and ranchers. This study is vital to properly understand and manage human-wildlife-predator conflicts in areas where farms are interspersed with wilderness areas.http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/roadkill-endangers-endangered-wildlife/
http://www.wildlifecollisions.ca/thefacts.htm
http://tirf.ca/publications/PDF_publications/WildlifeVehicle_Collision_Deliverable1_Eng_6.pdf

Grant 2015

Canadian Federation of Humane SocietiesThe Canadian Federation of Humane Societies (CFHS) received $8000 to facilitate the negotiation of farm animal welfare Codes of Practice. CFHS is a founding member of the National Farm Animal Care Council (NFACC) and provides subject experts who sit as CFHS representatives during negotiations with stakeholders throughout the NFACC Code Development process. This grant will be used to provide stipends to representatives working on the veal and poultry Codes of Practice, with the ultimate goal of improving standards of welfare for farm animals in Canada.

Equine GuelphEquine Guelph received $6300 to develop a continuing education program that can be used to help equine rescue groups build skills and knowledge. A university student will be hired to interview rescue farms regarding their needs and challenges, then design focused educational materials in both printable and digital formats. The student will also liaise with the Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (OSPCA) for input on development of materials that may be needed in the event of a welfare issue on a horse farm.

Get Bear Smart SocietyThe Get Bear Smart Society received $5000 to conduct an evaluation of factors that contribute to a successful bear smart community program with the goal of minimizing human-caused conflicts with bears. Research will consist of a literature review as well as interviews with coordinators of bear education programs throughout North America. Findings and recommendations for creating bear smart communities will be summarized in a final report, which will be made available on-line.

Vancouver Humane SocietyThe Vancouver Humane Society received $4800 to compile and examine the scientific information available on projects involving captive marine mammals on permanent display to the public by aquaria in Canada. This project will provide an independent evaluation of captive marine mammal education and conservation programs in Canada and will assist governmental agencies that are currently reviewing the value of these programs in providing protection for wild cetaceans.

ZoocheckZoocheck received $3800 to provide a one-day training workshop for animal care, enforcement and advocacy personnel, which will focus on correcting widespread misunderstandings and misinformation about exotic reptiles, amphibians and birds. This workshop will cover a number of pertinent issues, including basic animal welfare; the cognitive, emotional and social abilities of reptiles and amphibians; the needs of small exotic animals in captive situations; how to assess husbandry conditions; public health and safety considerations; and the legal/regulatory options that are available to address exotic pet concerns.

Grants 2014

Animal Justice Canada – www.animaljustice.caAnimal Justice Canada received a $10,000 grant from the AWFC to develop a Canadian Animal Law Guide. It will provide a detailed legal overview of all animal law in Canada. The Guide will canvas applicable legislation, regulations and case law, providing an overview of what is currently in place and highlighting the strengths and weaknesses of animal law in each province. It will also include Summary Tables, providing readers with a visual overview of the comparative strengths and weaknesses of animal laws by categories. The Summary Tables and categories will be evaluated on a “right track,” “needs improvement,” and “caution” type scale, recognizing that even the best regimes in place can be improved.

The Canadian Federation of Humane Societies – cfhs.caCFHS received a $10,000 grant from the AWFC to develop The National Training Program for the Prosecution of Animal Cruelty. Created in partnership with the British Columbia SPCA (BCSPCA), Montreal SPCA, Saskatchewan SPCA and Alex Janse (Administrative Crown Counsel, BC) it will provide training and resources to support Crown Attorneys in vigorous prosecution of crimes against animals under the Criminal Code of Canada. Increasing successful prosecutions will result in more convictions with proportional sentences and set animal cruelty case law precedence.

The BC Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals – www.spca.bc.ca/welfareThe BCSPCA received a $15,000 grant from the AWFC over 2 years to complete a sixth classroom curriculum unit and to convert it and the other 5 units into an online format for distribution nationally. The BC SPCA currently offers 5 curriculum units via CD/DVD on the following issues:

Kindness Counts: Empathy Unit (Kindergarten – Grade 2);

Bite Free: Dog Bite Safety (Kindergarten – Grade 5);

Companions for Life: Pet Care Responsibility (Grades 3 – 5);

Cluck! – The life of an egg-laying chicken (Grades 4 – 7); and

You Can Make a Difference (Grades 5 – 7

The sixth unit will address pet-overpopulation and will be completed in 2014. Development of the online interface design for this and the other 5 units will be initiated in 2014 and launched in 2015. The website will incorporate interactive online activities to complement each unit and engage a broad audience.

The South Okanagan Rehabilitation Centre for Owls – www.sorco.orgSORCO received a $2,000 grant from the AWFC to produce an educational video and radio public service announcement to raise awareness about what the public should do if they find either orphaned or injured birds of prey and how to interact with wild raptors. The initiative differs from other such videos and PSAs which focus on mammals and songbirds. The video will be made available via YouTube and the SORCO website and will help the community to make sensible decisions on how best to deal with situations involving birds of prey in the environment.

Grants 2013

Canadian Federation of Humane Societies – OntarioFunding from the AWFC supported the CFHS to implement Phase 2 of their Cats in Canada Task Force Project, which was a follow-up to their multi-stakeholder Cats in Canada report from 2012. As the foundation for the Taskforce’s future work, Cats in Canada aims to reduce cat overpopulation and euthanasia rates and to foster a more humane Canada. CFHS organized and brought together people from across the country to review and network about local, provincial and national issues and efforts, while contributing to the development of strategies to address the cat overpopulation crisis.Eight meetings were held in eight provinces between May and October 2013. A total of 251 stakeholders attended meetings from humane societies, SPCAs, rescues, trap/neuter re-turn groups, spay/neuter organizations, municipalities, provincial governments, veterinarians and academia. The one-day meeting followed a simple strategic planning process of reviewing cat overpopulation through the history of the issue in the province, the present state, the desired future, concluding with activities and plans. Overall, each province was asked to identify 4 top priorities (and subsequent activities) to be addressed in the next 12 months. Shared, common priorities included:

Increased collaboration and cooperation among stakeholders

Universal, accessible spay/neuter

Relationship building with veterinarians and municipalities

Increase the societal value of cats

Grants 2012

AWFC provided funding of $20,000 to the BC SPCA to support development of a strategic business plan for their SPCA Certified food labeling program. Products which are approved for the SPCA Certified label come from farms which are annually assessed to SPCA Certified farm animal welfare standards and operation policies by trained, independent inspectors. Certification is determined by third party, independent review panelists.

Grants 2011

Regional Meetings on Battery Cages for Laying HensIn May, 2011, the AWFC hosted four regional meetings on the topic Is There a Future for Battery Cages in Canada? The meetings explored the pros and cons of cages for egg production, particularly from an animal welfare point of view.
Alternative husbandry systems available for egg production were described, together with their strengths and weaknesses. Producers discussed the practical challenges of producing eggs in a non-cage system. Speakers at the meeting included Dr. Ian Duncan, President of the AWFC and an expert on poultry welfare and behaviour, and Dr. Michelle Jendral, Assistant Professor of Poultry Behaviour and Welfare at the Nova Scotia Agricultural College. One or two local egg producers also spoke at each meeting.
The meetings were attended by a range of participants including representatives of egg industry associations and marketing agencies, universities, producers and others. The meetings took place in Calgary, Abbotsford, Truro and Ottawa. The Truro meeting was videotaped and will be distributed on DVD to agriculture faculties of universities in Canada, animal welfare clubs, and on request to the AWFC office. The entire 14-part video series has been posted on the BCSPCA’s YouTube channel.

SPCA Certified StandardsThe British Columbia SPCA project, SPCA Certified Standards for Lameness Assessment and Pain Management in Cattle and Pigs, which is financially supported by the AWFC, is near fulfillment. The society has completed standards for dairy and beef cattle and will finish the standards for pigs in 2011. Workshops have been conducted in Vancouver to train BC SPCA special provincial constables and SPCA Certified inspectors to conduct “outcome-based” animal welfare assessment protocols: body condition scoring of beef and dairy cattle and gait scoring of cattle and broiler chickens. Further information and detailed protocols are available on the BC SPCA website.

Animal Transportation ResearchDr. Michael Cockram, Chair in Animal Welfare at the University of Prince Edward Island, is continuing work on his two research projects funded by the AWFC: Transportation of animals for slaughter in Canada: current practice, welfare issues and regulatory control and Study of injuries associated with the handling and transport of horses for slaughter. Funding was provided for a third year.

Lecture GrantsIn keeping with its mandate to promote humane education, the AWFC provided a grant of $2,500 to the animal welfare program at the University of British Columbia to support the P.R.U. Stratton Memorial Lecture, and $2,500 to the animal welfare chair at the University of Guelph to support the Basil Capes Memorial Lecture. These grants allow each university to invite distinguished national and international speakers to make public presentations on topical animal welfare issues.

University Animal Welfare ClubsThe AWFC provided grants of $2,000 to support the educational programs of the animal welfare clubs in each of the five veterinary colleges in Canada – the Atlantic Veterinary College, University of Prince Edward Island; the Faculté de médecine vétérinaire, University of Montreal; the Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph; the Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan; and the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary.

Grants 2010

SPCA Certified StandardsThe British Columbia SPCA http://www.spca.bc.ca/ received their second year of funding from the AWFC for their project to develop SPCA Certified Standards for Lameness Assessment and Pain Management in Cattle and Pigs.

Animal Transportation ResearchWe continued our support for Dr. Michael Cockram, http://www.upei.ca/awc/People/Chair Chair in Animal Welfare at the University of Prince Edward Island, who eceived funding from AWFC for two research projects: Transportation of animals for slaughter in Canada: current practice, welfare issues and regulatory control and Study of injuries associated with the handling and transport of horses for slaughter.

Lecture GrantsIn keeping with its mandate to promote humane education, the AWFC provided a grant of $2,500 to the animal welfare program at the University of British Columbia to support the P.R.U. Stratton Memorial Lecture, and $2,500 to the animal welfare chair at the University of Guelph to support the Basil Capes Memorial Lecture. These grants allow each university to invite distinguished national and international speakers to make public presentations on topical animal welfare issues.

University Animal Welfare ClubsThe AWFC provided grants of $2,000 to support the educational programs of the animal welfare clubs in each of the five veterinary colleges in Canada – the Atlantic Veterinary College, University of Prince Edward Island; the Faculté de médecine vétérinaire, University of Montreal; the Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph; and the Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan.

Grants 2009

SPCA Certified StandardsThe British Columbia SPCA http://www.spca.bc.ca/received funding from the AWFC for their 2-year project (2009/2010) to develop SPCA Certified Standards for Lameness Assessment and Pain Management in Cattle and Pigs.

Animal Transportation ResearchDr. Michael Cockram, http://www.upei.ca/awc/People/Chair Chair in Animal Welfare at the Sir James Dunn Animal Welfare Centre, University of Prince Edward Island, is continuing work on his 2008 research project funded by the AWFC: Transportation of animals for slaughter in Canada: current practice, welfare issues and regulatory control.

Lecture GrantsIn keeping with its mandate to promote humane education, the AWFC provided a grant of $2,500 to the Animal Welfare Program at the University of British Columbia to support the P.R.U. Stratton Memorial Lecture, and $2,500 to the Campbell Centre for the Study of Animal Welfare at the University of Guelph to support the Basil Capes Memorial Lecture. These grants allow each university to invite distinguished national and international speakers to make public presentations on topical animal welfare issues.

University Animal Welfare ClubsThe AWFC provided grants of $2,000 to support the educational programs of the animal welfare clubs in each of the five veterinary colleges in Canada – the Atlantic Veterinary College, University of Prince Edward Island; the Faculté de médecine vétérinaire, University of Montreal; the Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph; and the Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan.

Grants 2008

Lecture GrantsIn keeping with its mandate to promote humane education, each year the Animal Welfare Foundation of Canada provides a grant of $5,000 to the animal welfare program at the University of British Columbia to support the P.R.U. Stratton Memorial Lecture, and $5,000 to the animal welfare chair at the University of Guelph to support the Basil Capes Memorial Lecture. These grants allow each university to invite distinguished national and international speakers to make public presentations on topical animal welfare issues.

University Animal Welfare ClubsThe AWFC provided grants of $2,000 to support the educational programs of the animal welfare clubs in each of the four veterinary colleges in Canada – the Atlantic Veterinary College, University of Prince Edward Island; the Faculté de médecine vétérinaire, University of Montreal; the Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph; and the Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan.

Program GrantFor 2008, the AWFC decided to direct our funding to one or more projects that have national significance and the potential to impact the welfare of a large number of animals. To that end, we invited applications from universities for development and implementation of a major animal welfare project addressing an area of research need.
For 2008-2009, major project funding is being provided to a research team led by Dr. Michael Cockram, Chair in Animal Welfare, Sir James Dunn Animal Welfare Centre, University of Prince Edward Island. In 2008, we also helped fund a new shelter at the Ontario SPCA’s Midland & District Shelter. A small grant was also provided to the Cdn Coalition for Farm Animals to support an ad regarding animal transport issues for livestock.

Grants 2007

Major Grants

British Columbia SPCA, Vancouver, British ColumbiaThe British Columbia SPCA launched its SPCA Certified labeling and certification program in 2002. The program provides assurance to consumers in the province that certified products were raised according to the BC SPCA’s high farm animal welfare standards. Over 1.5 million animals (beef cattle, dairy cattle, pigs, laying hens and broiler chickens) have been raised within the program since its inception. The British Columbia SPCA will use the grant provided by the AWFC to expand its program through nationalization of existing standards, development of new standards for sheep and turkeys, and publication and dissemination of the standards. www.spca.bc.ca. AWFC Grant: $20,000

Hope for Wildlife, Head of Chezzetcook, Nova ScotiaThe Hope for Wildlife Society, located in Seaforth, Nova Scotia, is a wildlife rehabilitation and education facility entirely staffed by community volunteers. It specializes in the care, treatment and rehabilitation of injured or orphaned native fur bearing mammals, sea birds and songbirds and has treated and released thousands of mammals and birds representing over 200 various species. The facility is fully licensed and inspected, with a federal license for the rehabilitation of sea birds and a provincial license for the rehabilitation of indigenous wildlife. The Hope for Wildlife Society has recently taken on the services of the Atlantic Raptor Rehabilitation Centre, providing care for sick, injured and orphaned raptors. The AWFC grant will be used the support the educational components of the raptor rehabilitation program. AWFC Grant: $3,850

New Brunswick Animal Veterinary Medical Association Animal Welfare Committee/New Brunswick SPCAFinancial constraints prevent many animal shelters in New Brunswick from having Animal Health Technicians on staff. Euthanasia, where necessary due to disease or overcrowding in shelters, is performed by lay personnel. The grant provided by the AWFC will allow the New Brunswick Veterinary Medical Association to provide a training program for shelter staff from across the province aimed at ensuring compassionate and humane euthanasia, and addressing the safety and stress of staff. www.spca-nb.ca, www.nbvma-amvnb.ca. AWFC Grant: $5,000

Island Wildlife Natural Care Centre, Salt Spring Island, British ColumbiaThe Island Wildlife Natural Care Centre helps avian and terrestrial wildlife from throughout the Gulf Islands and Vancouver Island and is the only year round marine mammal rescue centre in Canada. Funding from the AWFC will be used to support a wildlife rehabilitation fellowship, allowing an intern to be trained and participate in the Centre’s work, including diagnosis, medical treatment, necropsies, rescue and release, feeding and daily care of wildlife. AWFC Grant: $3,600

Small Grants

Highland Animal Relief Team, Bancroft, OntarioThe Highland Animal Relief Team serves a large geographic area with high unemployment and poverty. Funding from the AWFC was used to support the organization’s spay/ neuter incentive program for animals in low income households. AWFC Grant: $1,000

Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of SaskatchewanThe Foothills Model Forest in Alberta operates a grizzly bear research program focused on evaluating grizzly bear populations; assessing bear response to humane activities; and identifying habitat conditions to provide land managers with tools to integrate grizzly bear needs into the land management decision making framework. Researchers at the WCVM will use the AWFC funding to support a project, Evaluating capture with culvert trap in Foothills Model Forest Grizzly Bear Research Program; Effects on grizzly bear health and welfare. If culvert traps affect grizzly bear health less than leg hold snares, their use will provide better welfare for live- captured bears. www.usask.ca/wcvm. AWFC Grant: $1,000

Golden Women’s Resource Centre, Golden, British ColumbiaThe Golden Safe Homes Program provides shelter and support for women and children fleeing violence. It serves a rural, isolated area of the East Kootenays, and is actively engaged in efforts to end violence against women and their children, providing 24 hour shelter, crisis intervention and support services for women in crisis. Funding from the AWFC will be used to cover the cost of kenneling of clients’ pets on a long term basis when necessary, making it easier for women to leave violent situations and to enter treatment programs without giving up their pets. AWFC Grant: $1,000

Turtle Gardens Animal Rehabilitation Society, Topley, British ColumbiaThe mission of Turtle Gardens is to reduce the number of unwanted pets in the Bulkley Valley region of northern British Columbia. It provides a spay/neuter program and re-homes homeless pets. Funding from the AWFC will be used to support the spay/neuter program. www.turtlegardens.petfinder.com. AWFC Grant: $1,000

Saving Animals at Risk, Port Hawkesbury, Nova ScotiaThis volunteer-run shelter encountered a crisis with its water supply. The AWFC grant will assist in establishment of new water source. AWFC Grant: $1,000

University Animal Welfare ClubsThe AWFC provided grants of $2,000 to support the educational programs of the animal welfare clubs in each of the four veterinary colleges in Canada – the Atlantic Veterinary College, University of Prince Edward Island; the Faculté de médecine vétérinaire, University of Montreal; the Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph; and the Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan.

Grants 2006

British Columbia SPCA, Vancouver, British ColumbiaThe AWFC provided a major grant to the British Columbia SPCA to prepare an in-depth submission in response to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s request for input on amendments to the federal animal transportation regulations. The report, containing recommendations in six major areas of concern, was jointly submitted to the CFIA by the British Columbia SPCA, the Canadian Federation of Humane Societies and the Ontario SPCA. The report is available on the organizations’ websites. www.spca.bc.ca, www.cfhs.ca, www.ontariospca.ca. AWFC Grant: $10,000

Canadian Marine Environment Protection Society, Vancouver, British ColumbiaThe Canadian Marine Environment Protection Society (CMEPS) works to educate Canadians about the need to protect the ocean’s remaining natural ecosystems for their biological and cultural importance. AWFC funding assisted with production costs of CMEPS’ new publication, Canada’s Beluga Whale: Hunted, Poisoned, Unprotected, a report on the biology and the population status of beluga whales in the Canadian Arctic, where whale populations remain at risk due to overkilling, global warming and toxic contaminants. www.cmeps.org. AWFC Grant: $5,000

Highland Animal Relief Team, Bancroft, OntarioThe Highland Animal Relief Team serves a large geographic area with high unemployment and poverty. Funding from the AWFC was used to support the organization’s spay/ neuter incentive program for animals in low income households. AWFC Grant: $1,000

Island Wildlife Natural Care Centre, Salt Spring Island, British ColumbiaThe Island Wildlife Natural Care Centre helps avian and terrestrial wildlife from throughout the Gulf Islands and Vancouver Island and is the only year round marine mammal rescue centre in Canada. Funding from the AWFC was used to provide fellowships to two interns, allowing them to be trained and participate in the Centre’s work, including diagnosis, medical treatment, necropsies, rescue and release, feeding and daily care of wildlife. AWFC Grant: $7,200

Meow Foundation, Calgary, AlbertaThe Meow Foundation facilitates the rescue of stray and abandoned cats and provides interim care for cats until adoptive homes can be found. Funding from the AWFC was used to purchase microchip identification, to ensure rescue cats have permanent identification before moving to a new home. www.meowfoundation.com. AWFC Grant: $1,000

Northwest Animal Shelter, Smithers, British ColumbiaThe Northwest Animal Shelter is a volunteer run organization serving an area of over 70,000 square km in Northwestern British Columbia. AWFC funding, along with the assistance of local veterinarians, volunteers and the community, was used to support the shelter’s pet overpopulation program, resulting in spay/neuter of 65 cats and 3 dogs from low-income households. AWFC Grant: $1,000

Wild at Heart Refuge Centre, Lively, OntarioThe Wild at Heart Refuge Centre provides veterinary treatment and rehabilitation to 200-500 wild animals a year that are orphaned, sick or injured so that they can be released back to the wild. Animals treated consist primarily of songbirds, water birds, raptors, small mammals and juvenile large mammals. AWFC funding was used for the purchase of veterinary equipment. AWFC Grant: $1,000

Zoocheck Canada, Toronto, OntarioZoocheck Canada is a national animal protection charity established to promote and protect the interests and wellbeing of wild animals. AWFC funding was used to assist distribution of Zoocheck’s education kit on wildlife in captivity, Let’s Go Wild! Facilitating an Understanding and Appreciation of Life and Animals, Primary and Junior Levels. Kits have now been sent to hundreds of schools across Canada. www.zoocheck.com. AWFC Grant: $2,500

University Animal Welfare ClubsThe AWFC provided grants of $2,000 to support the educational programs of the animal welfare clubs in each of the four veterinary colleges in Canada – the Atlantic Veterinary College, University of Prince Edward Island; the Faculté de médecine vétérinaire, University of Montreal; the Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph; and the Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan.

AWFC Announces Traveling Scholarships 2005

(January 31, 2005) The Animal Welfare Foundation of Canada is providing funding support for five Canadian university students to attend the Compassion in World Farming (CIWF) conference, From Darwin to Dawkins: the science and implications of animal sentience, scheduled for March 17 – 18, 2005 in London, England.

The AWFC held a national competition inviting university students studying veterinary medicine, agriculture or biology to describe how animal welfare in Canada would benefit from them attending the conference. Excellent submissions were received from students across the country. The winning entries, both of which demonstrated highly developed philosophical awareness of animal welfare issues, were:

Lizete Valdmanis, a student at the Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph

Michelle Jendral, a Ph.D. student in poultry welfare at the University of Alberta.

Lizete and Michelle will each receive a $1,500 traveling scholarship from the AWFC.

The Animal Welfare Foundation of Canada is also awarding traveling scholarships to three students from the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Montreal at Saint-Hyacinthe, to attend the CIWF conference. These scholarships are provided through the AWFC’s Quebec special projects fund. The students are:

Manon Veillette

Marie-Eve Turcotte

Michèle Legeault

An exceptional program has been planned for the CIWF conference, with noted speakers from around the world. AWFC President Ian Duncan will be making a presentation titled, The changing concept of animal sentience.

The AWFC believes the Canadian students will derive tremendous benefits from attending the conference and is pleased to provide them this financial support.

Grants 2005

British Columbia SPCA, Vancouver, British ColumbiaThe British Columbia SPCA launched Canada’s first “SPCA Certified” labelling and certification program for farm animal welfare in 2002. Ten farms are currently certified in BC, including egg, broiler and beef operations as meeting the SPCA husbandry standards. Funding provided by the AWFC will allow the BC SPCA to take the next step and develop standards for transport and slaughter of chickens, cattle and pigs. An audit procedure and inspection checklist based on identified Critical Control Points will be developed. AWFC Grant: $5,000

Cobequid Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre, Brookfield, Nova ScotiaChronic oil spills, caused by illegal and often anonymous discharge of oily bilge and other waste water from ships, have a devastating impact on seabirds in Eastern Canada. Over 300,000 seabirds perish annually from these spills. The Cobequid Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre will use funding provided by the AWFC to purchase the necessary equipment for oiled bird rehabilitation and release. AWFC Grant: $7,650

Carleton County Animal Shelter, Richmond Settlement, New BrunswickThe Carleton County Animal Shelter serves an area of over 100 square miles and will use its grant to establish a spay and neuter program for low income families and for humane education programs. AWFC Grant: $3,000

WinnipegHumaneSociety,Winnipeg,ManitobaAnimals with behavioural problems are often euthanized, even though many problems can be treated by trained experts. The Winnipeg Humane Society is establishing a behavioural consultation service offering canine and feline veterinary behavioural consultation and training to pet owners in Winnipeg and surrounding communities. Funding from the AWFC will support training of staff at a clinical behavioural medicine workshop. AWFC Grant: $3,700

Save Old Souls Senior K-9 Rescue, Medicine Hat, AlbertaThe Save Old Souls Senior K-9 Rescue organization provides care to unwanted, relinquished senior dogs and assists owners with an alternative
to euthanasia when they are no longer able to keep their animal companions due to entering long term care facilities, separation/divorce of partners, death in the family, and other causes. Care includes altering, dental care and surgery where necessary, vaccinations, special diets and foster care until a permanent home is found. AWFC Grant: $2,000

Wildlife Rehabilitation Society of Edmonton, Edmonton, AlbertaThe Wildlife Rehabilitation Society of Edmonton has helped over 7,500 wild animals in the last 15 years. AWFC funding will allow one staff person to attend the International Wildlife Rehabilitators Council international conference to expand species knowledge, learn different types of medical treatments and rehabilitation techniques, and exchange ideas regarding wildlife rehabilitation. AWFC Grant: $1,340

Whistler Animals Galore Society, Whistler, British ColumbiaThe Whistler Animal Galore Society is working with the Mount Currie Band Council to institute a spay/neuter project in order to address the problems of roaming dog packs, and dog attacks on people, livestock and wildlife. The program will run in conjunction with a dog bite prevention and animal welfare education program for children in Mount Currie. AWFC Grant: $7,000

Island Wildlife Natural Care Centre, Salt Spring Island, British ColumbiaThe Island Wildlife Natural Care Centre helps wildlife from throughout British Columbia and is the only year round marine mammal rescue centre in Canada. Funding from AWFC will support the centre’s Wildlife Rehabilitation Internship Program, which trains up to 16 interns each year in rehabilitation of birds, mammals, and marine mammals, including diagnosis, medical treatment, necropsies, rescue and release of wildlife, feeding, and daily care. AWFC Grant: $7,500

Marmot Recovery Foundation, Vancouver, British ColumbiaThe Vancouver Island marmot is Canada’s most endangered mammal. Recovery efforts are challenged by predators. The Marmot Recovery Foundation will use AWFC funding for research and field testing of a new non-lethal predator management technique on one of the marmots’ most common predators, cougars; and for contributing to the body of knowledge informing other endangered species recovery efforts on a regional, national and international scale. AWFC Grant: $5,000

University Animal Welfare ClubsThe AWFC is providing grants of $1,500 to the student animal welfare clubs in each of the four veterinary colleges in Canada (University of Prince Edward Island, University of Montreal at St-Hyacinthe, University of Guelph, and University of Saskatchewan). The funding will assist the clubs in educational programs, particularly seminars with guest speakers from outside their provinces.

Grants 2004

J.J. Whistler Bear Society, Whistler, British ColumbiaThe J.J. Whistler Bear Society is preparing a Non-lethal Black Bear Management Training Program, including a training manual, student handbook, and field guide for wildlife officers. This program will build on the Society’s highly acclaimed program in Whistler, which has resulted in a reduction of bear destruction by 85% in the past four years. AWFC Grant: $5,000

Critter Care Wildlife Society, Langley, British ColumbiaIn 2003, the Critter Care Wildlife Society raised, rehabilitated and released 701 animals. The AWFC grant will be used to purchase display materials for its public education programs on wildlife issues and concerns. AWFC Grant: $1,500

Cochrane Humane Society, Cochrane, AlbertaAWFC funding will be used to assist in production of a video for community education on the role the Cochrane Humane Society serves in collaboration with community service providers to support a healthy community, while clearly demonstrating the link between animal welfare and social behaviour. AWFC Grant: $2,000

Red Deer and District Humane Society, Red Deer AlbertaThe Society is expanding its humane education kits for schools and other community agencies to include a wide variety of resources. These materials will be made available in “Borrow Boxes,” with information on how to use them with school curricula or other programs. AWFC Grant: $4,000

Western College of Veterinary Medicine Animal Welfare Club, Saskatoon, SaskatchewanAWFC funding will be used to increase the awareness among veterinary students of the importance of animal welfare. The WCVM Animal Welfare Club plans to invite special guest speakers, distribute newsletters and other literature, and assist in starting a foster program for pets of abused women entering shelters. AWFC Grant: $2,000

Saskatchewan SPCA, Saskatoon, SaskatchewanThe Saskatchewan SPCA is producing a video focusing on the role and function of the society in improving animal welfare in the province of Saskatchewan. The video will highlight the Saskatchewan SPCA’s investigative services program, and create awareness of animal welfare issues and the interrelationship between the abuse of animals and humans. AWFC Grant: $5,000

Ontario Veterinary College Animal Welfare Club, Guelph, OntarioThe Ontario Veterinary College Animal Welfare Club will use its AWFC grant to develop permanent equipment and printed materials to be used throughout each year to promote the efforts of the Club, and to encourage new membership and participation in the Club by student veterinarians. AWFC Grant: $1,500

Sir James Dunn Animal Welfare Centre, University of PEI, Charlottetown, PEIThe Sir James Dunn Animal Welfare Centre is undertaking a survey of Canadian veterinarian’s use of analgesics (painkillers) in cattle, pigs and horses. There is currently no data describing the extent of use of analgesics in large domestic species and reasons for non-use. The project will provide the data, and will have direct application in Canadian veterinary education and continuing professional development, and can be expected to contribute to better pain management in farm animals and horses across Canada. AWFC Grant: $5,600

Grants 2003

British Columbia SPCA, Vancouver, British ColumbiaPreparation of a template that can be used by agricultural livestock producers in British Columbia and other jurisdiction to assess the viability of converting either partially or fully to animal production systems that conform to the BC SPCA farm animal welfare standards. AWFC Grant: $3,000

Canadian Federation of Humane Societies, Ottawa, OntarioDevelopment of a national strategy to address the issue of barn fires, which result in significant loss of animal life every year in Canada. AWFC Grant: $5,000

Naicatchewenin First Nations, Devlin, OntarioDevelopment of programs to protect stray and wild animals from inhumane methods of extermination, and for community animal welfare education. AWFC Grant: $5,000

Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British ColumbiaSupport for Dr. Gail Anderson, Associate Professor, School of Criminology, in her research in forensic entomology that will assist law enforcement and animal protection officials in prosecution of poaching and animal abuse cases. AWFC Grant: $5,000

St. Mary’s River Association, Sherbrooke, Nova ScotiaConstruction of a permanent display to help educate the public on the Wood Turtle and to discourage collection of these turtles as pets. AWFC Grant: $1,825

Mountainaire Avian Rescue Society, Courtenay, British ColumbiaDevelopment of a Mobile Education and Research Unit to promote interest in the study of wildlife, research into specific wildlife problems, and to provide information on wild bird rescue, treatment and rehabilitation. AWFC Grant: $2,500

Outaouais Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Aylmer, QuebecPurchase of kiosque for public education on the society and its animal welfare work.AWFC Grant: $1,700

Sarah Murphy, Graduate Student, University of British ColumbiaPreparation of a report on the control of feral cats. AWFC Grant: $3,000

Grants 1999

Rondeu Bay Watershed

Canadian Federation of Humane Societies

Kindness Club of Fredericton

S.P.C.A. Chapter, Truro, Nova Scotia

Summerland Cat Sanctuary

Fredericton S.P.C.A., New Brunswick

Toronto Wildlife Centre

SHAID Tree Shelter Society, Bridgewater, Nova Scotia

Newfoundland and Labrador S.P.C.A., St. John’s, Newfoundland

Canadian Marine Environment Protection Society

Lunenburg S.P.C.A., Nova Scotia

Fort Smith S.P.C.A. (Kaisers, Fort Smith)

Donkey Sanctuary, Ontario

Antigonish S.P.C.A.

Grants 1998

Ontario S.P.C.A.

Canadian Federation of Humane Societies

Antigonish S.P.C.A.

University of Guelph C.S.A.W.

Lunenburg City S.P.C.A.

Oromocto S.P.C.A.

Gander S.P.C.A.

Grants 1997

Lloydminster and District S.P.C.A.

Joseph F. Morgan Foundation

Oromocto and Area S.P.C.A.

S.P.C.A. Cape Breton Branch

Rondeau Bay Watershed Society

St. John’s Newfoundland S.P.C.A.

Halifax Metro Branch S.P.C.A.

Vaillancourt (through U.Q.R.O.P.)

Moose Jaw Humane Society

Zootherapie

S.Q.D.A. (Québec Society for the Defence of Animals)

Between the years of 1965-1990, the Animal Welfare Foundation of Canada has made grants in excess of $1,000,000 to various SPCA’s, humane societies and other animal protection groups across the country.